Washing machine appliances generally include a tub for containing water or wash fluid, e.g., water and detergent, bleach, and/or other wash additives. A basket is rotatably mounted within the tub and defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing. During normal operation of such washing machine appliances, the wash fluid is directed into the tub and onto articles within the wash chamber of the basket. The basket or an agitation element can rotate at various speeds to agitate articles within the wash chamber, to wring wash fluid from articles within the wash chamber, etc.
The tub of the washing machine appliance is usually constructed of a lightweight material, e.g., plastic, which is suitable for use in a wet environment. The tub of the washing machine appliance is positioned between the basket, which may rotate at high speed, and a cabinet of the washing machine appliance, which is typically constructed of metal material. In typical washing machine appliances, clearances between the tub and the basket and/or cabinet may be relatively small. As a result of these small clearances, the tub may be impacted by the basket during operation of the washing machine appliance, such as when the basket is rotating at high speed, in particular when a load in the basket is unbalanced, and the tub may in turn impact the cabinet. Such impacts may damage the tub, in particular due to the relatively low momentum of the stationary tub as compared to the rotating basket and/or the relatively low strength of the plastic tub as compared to the metal cabinet.
Accordingly, a tub for a washing machine appliance which provides not only light weight and water resistance but also improved strength and durability would be desired.